Amy Wattles and Mike Burke Break Grip Strength World Records

The 2014 edition of Odd Haugen’s Visegrip Viking Challenge pulled in top competitors from the grip strength world and they wasted no time breaking world records in two benchmark events: Mike Burke broke the men’s world record on the Apollon’s Axle Double Overhand Deadlift and Amy Wattle broke the women’s world record on the Captains of Crush (CoC) Silver Bullet Hold.

Burke came into the contest primarily focussed on the Apollon’s Axle Double Overhand Deadlift—he wanted to break his own world record, and after making 160, 185 and 220 kg, he jumped to 237.5 kg for a good lift. Burke was unhappy with the way the lift felt so (reminiscent of a Ken Leistner story), he wanted to take it over—this time, he couldn’t quite finish the lift, but no matter, he had broken the world record again.

237.5 kg on the bar and Mike Burke pulled it the distance to break his own world record on the Apollon’s Axle Double Overhand Deadlift. IronMind® | Randall J. Strossen photo

The Rolling Thunder included Alexey Tyukalov and Mark Felix going head-to-head in a matchup featuring the current and the immediately prior world record holder: both succeeded with 123 kg (270 lb.), but neither one could complete 128 kg (281 lb.). Burke, who had sat out this event (because he thought both Tyukalov and Felix were going to post huge lifts and to conserve energy for the Apollon’s Axle), then walked over and lifted the 128 kg!

An Odd Haugen classic, the Viking Fishing Pole/Wrist Roller was a showdown between Mike Burke, Alexey Tyukalov and Mark Felix—they were the only competitors to raise all five fish and they finished in that order, with MIke Burke showing, once again, that if you’re looking for the world’s strongest guy from the elbow to the fingertips, put Mike Burke at the top of your list.

Alexey Tyukalov took top honors, overall, in the men’s grip contest, with Mark Felix second and Mike Burke third—with Burke, having skipped the Rolling Thunder, probably thinking “could of, would of, should of .“